Method of pleating fabrics



Feb. 20, 1940'. J. LEVINE METHOD OF PLEATING FABRICS Filed May 26, 1958 r W m NM a :E 1 1 Q llll lllll Illim RN Patented Feb. 20, 1940 I UNITED STATES PATENT. optics 2,191,321 IMETHOD.0F PLEATING FABRICS James Levine, Brooklyn, N. Y. 7 Application May 26, 1938, Serial No. 210,217

1 Claim. (01. 223-259 f f This invention relates to devices for pleating fabrics in the piece and more "particularly it pertains to such devices as are commonly employed for steaming pleats in fabrics.

v The invention further relates to a newand improved method for carrying out the steaming operation. i i

It is the comnion practic'e to place a piece of fabric to be pleated between two sheets of paper it) or similar material which have been previously folded into the desired form which it is desired 1 to produce in a pleated fabric, it being understood that the folded sheets areflattened out and the fabric to be, pleated'placed between them in' a 16 flattened condition. These sheets; I'will hereinafter refer to as pattern sheets. 1 7

After the fabrichas been placed between the pattern sheets, thepattern sheets and fabric are folded together in such a manner' that the 20 fabric will be folded into the same form as-the pattern sheets. I V g The folded pattern sheets and fabric are then placed upon an unfolded sheet of paper or other suitable material and the entire assembly is rolled into cylindrical form.

' The cylinder or cylinders are then placed upon end in an upright or vertical position in a suitable steam chest wherevsteam is introduced into the lower end or ends of the cylinders, passing through the cylinders; and out of. the upper ends vthereof, the fabric being subjected to the action of the steam as it passes through the cylinders and being steamed'in the form of the pattern sheets thereby.

In the case of embroidered fabrics, a backing of specially prepared buckram or similar material whichdisintegrates in the presence of dry heat, is employed. This type of fabric, is treated in a second chamber in which it is subjected to the action of. dry heat to render the buckram backing readily removable from the embroidered fabric.

The two methods and apparatus above described are those employed in all fabric pressing establishments with which I am familiar and it is the primary object of this invention to improve both the method and apparatus now commonly employed, with the result that the pleating operation may be carried out not only more expeditiously than heretofore, but without damage to the fabric being treated, which is one very decided disadvantage in the method as it is at present practiced.

In the method as atpresent practiced, there is N a considerable amount of damage to the fabric,

particularly during the steaming operation.

This damage results from admitting the steam in too great a quantity into the lower endsofthe cylinders afore-mentioned and unless extreme care is exercised and even so, in many instances, the fabric in the lower'p'ortions of the cylinders is damaged bythe presence of too great aquantity of steam at this point. v

Another disadvantage of the present method lies in the fact that the steam in passing through 10 the cylinders, cools before it has passed completee ly therethrough and as a result, the fabric in the upper ends or portionsof the-cylinders is not completely steamed and often, not sufficiently steamed to retain thedesired form. v r

A feature of the'present invention resides in a new and novel manner of introducing the steam into the cylindrically shaped-fabric to effect the steaming operation; i Y

A further feature ofthe invention resides in a 'm novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby the fabric cylinders are retained in a horizontal position instead of a vertical position during the steaming operation' Still a furtherfeature of the invention resides 5 in the introduction of steam, during the steaming operation, into the opposite ends of the cylinders instead of through but one end as is-the common practice. I

Other features of the invention will become ap- 30 parent as the nature of the invention is better understood and reference will now'be had to the following specification'and claim and the accompanyingdrawing, in which, T I

Figure -1 is' a view in side elevation illustrating 35 a'fabric treating chest constructed in accordance with the present invention, j Figure'2 is an end view thereof, the view being partly broken away to show interior construction, and;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale, the view being taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. v p

In the accompanying drawing isshown achest constructed in. accordance with the present in- 45 vention. The chest comprises a housing H) which 'is preferably of rectangular form, although other forms may be employed if desired. One-end of the housing is provided with a door 'l.l hinged as at "to swing outwardly and this door provides 50 access to the upper portion of the housing l0.

, Extending longitudinally of the housing It, thereis a shelf l3 and this shelf divides thd housing into an upper chamber l4 and a lower chamber l5. As best illustrated in Figure 3,

this shelf 13 is of rack form, which construction provides openings ltfor the passage of steam from the lower chamber 55 to the upper chamber l4. The shelf it provides a support for the various articles being treated, which as heretofore described, consist of fabric folded between two form sheets and rolled into cylindrical form.

The fabric cylinders to be treated are inserted intothe chamber it through the door II and placed in a horizontal position upon the shelf 53 with the ends of, the cylinders positioned towards the ends of. the chamber 14.

The cylinders Within the chamber !4 are, as heretofore stated, subjected to the action of steam which is introduced into the cylinders through the ends thereof and this is accomplished in the following manner.

Leading into the bottom of the chamber I5, there is a steam pipe it which preferably has a T-head l9 perforated to discharge steam supplied thereto by the pipe it. This T head i8 is positioned centrally of the ends of the chamber 85 and extends substantially throughout the transverse dimension of said chamber.

Steam discharged from the T-head l9 passes to the end of the chamber i5 and rises, passing through the'openings [S of the shelf 13, completeiy filling the chamber M. The chamber 14 being filled with steam, the steam enters both ends of the cylinders that rest on the shelf l3 thus subjecting thefabric within the cylinder to a more even application of steam throughout the length of the cylinders than is possible where the cylinders are placed on end as is the present Y practice.

' The steam admitted to the chamber I5 is diected to the ends thereof by a suitable baffle in the form of a jacketed chamber 20. This jacketed chamber 20 extends transversely of the chamber I5 and is of a length equalto the transverse dimension of said chamber I 5. The jacket of the chamber 25] is designated 2| and extends around said chamber 29. The bottom wall 22 of the jacket 2! is slightlyspaced from the bottom Wall of the chamber l5 and it is in this space that the T-head IQ of the pipe i8 is positioned. Thus, as the steam is discharged from the T-head i9 the lower wall 22 of the jacket 21 deflects the steam towards the ends of the chamber l5 causing it to rise through the openings 16 in the shelf 13 as heretoforedescribed.

Access is had to the chamber 29 by means of a door 25 in the front wall of the housing Hi.

While the inner chamber 20 is partially heated by the presence of steam in the chamber [5,-its primary heating, is obtained from steam circulated through thejacket 2| thereof and this steam is supplied by means of a pipe 30 which preferably extends through the front wall of the housing I0. I

The supply of steam to the T-head I9 by the pipe I8 is controlled by a suitable valve which is arranged exteriorly of thehousing Hi, while the supply of steam to the pipe 353, whichintroduces steam into the jacket 2!, is controlled by a suitable valve 35 also arranged exteriorly of the housing 1.,

From the foregoing description it Will be apparent that the heat within the chamber H is not of a dry character while the heat in the chamber 20 is a dry heat due-to the fact that the steam which heats this chamber is not introduced directly thereinto.

The method employed in the use of this apparatus is as follows: When it is desired to pleat the material, the same is prepared as'heretofore described, and the cylinders are placed upon the shelf It ina horizontal position. Steam admitted tothe chamber I l passes into the cylmder through the opposite ends thereof supplying the necessary heat and moisture to effect the desired pleating operation. By reason of the fact that the steam is introduced through both ends of the cylinders simultaneously instead of through one end only thereof, the fabric will at no time be subjected to such extreme heat or such excess of steam as will result in damage thereto and a more eflicient distribution of heat and moisture to the fabric will be had than is possible where the cylinders are supported upon 3 end and the steam introduced into the lower end thereof as is the common practice. I

Where the fabric to be treated is in the form of an embroidered fabric backed with specially treated buckram as heretofore described, the

fabric is placed within the chamber 20. In this chamber, the fabric is subjected to a dry heat, it being understood that steam is admitted to the jacket 21. The dry heat operation, as here tofore described, is to effect a breaking down of the buckram'backing of the material in order that it may be removed from the material without damage thereto.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention provides not only a new and improved method of pleating fabrics by means of which a higher efficiency with less damage is obtained, but also provides a convenient apparatus by which the method employed may be more efficiently carried out. 7

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as newis:

The method of pleatingfabr-ics, which method consists of rolling the fabric into cylindrical shape between pressing forms, supporting said cylinders in a horizontal position and simultaneously passing steam through both ends of said cylinders towards the centers thereof.

. JAMES LEVINE. 

